Trousers supporter



O. L. GOLLADAY TROUSERS SUPPORTER Filed June` 26 1922 Patented Apr. l, 1924.

UNITED vSTATES :PATE-NT orFFicE.

TROUSERS SUPPOR-TER.

Application led Junev26, 1922. Serial No.,571,011.

T @ZZ whom t 'may concern:

Be it known that I, OSCAR L. GOLLADAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Youngstown, in the county of Mahoning and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Trousers Supporters, of 'which the following is a Specification. y

The invention relates to a trousers supporter.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of trousers supporters and to provide al simple, practical and efficient trousers supporter of strong, durableJ and inexpensive construction adapted totake the place of and render unnecessary the use of'suspenders and eliminate the discomforts thereof and `capable of being readily applied to a pair of trousers vand of positively and safely supporting the same from Ithe hips of the wearer, so that there will be no liability of the trousers sagging or the shirt bulging at the waist line, as is frequently the case when an ordinary belt is worn as a substitute for Suspenders.

A further objectof the invention is to provide a trouserssupporter of this character adaptedto maintainv a tight fit ofthe trousers around the waist of the wearer and capable of readily yielding tothe movements of the body when stooping orr assuming any other position-requiring an elastic action of the trousers supporter.

Vith these and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes `in the form, proportion and minor details lof construction, within-the scope of the claims, may vbe resorted tov withoutdeparting from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention. f

In the drawings, in which likecharacters of reference designate corresponding i parts site side or face of the trousers supporter, when the tensioning means is unfastened.

Figure Seis ,a detail perspective view of one o-f thebelt plates.

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view of one ofthe coiled springs, illustrating the arrangement ofthe flexible connection.

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view on the line 5 5 of Figure 1.

In the accompanying drawing, in which is illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention,the trousers supporter comprises in its construction a belt 1, constructed of webbing or other suitable material and provided at its terminals with a clasp 0r buckle composed of two members 2 and 3, the member 2 being provided with a tongue 4 and member 3 having aslot 5 adapted to receive the tongue 4 in the usual manner. Any other form .of buckler or fastening means for connecting the ends of the belt may, of course, be employed. The. belt 1 may be composed of sections adjustably connected at their terminals by laces 6 for enabling the belt to be varied in lengthbut the laces may be omitted if desired. In the belt shown in the drawing central and end sections-are provided and each of the sections is equipped with aflexible guard or shield 7 constructed of leather or other suitable material and tapered .from the outer end to the belt and having a rectangular attaching portion 8 stitched or otherwise secured to the belt, as shown. The flexible guard members are arranged at the center of the back and at opposite sides of the front 4portions of the belt and they are equipped with adjustable toggles 9 arranged in pairs, and connecting plates 10 and 11 constructed of aluminium or other suitable material and located at the end portions of the flexible guard members 7. The toggles 9 are composed of links 12 provided at their ends with eyes 13 for the reception of pivots 14, 15 and 16 for securing thelinks together and also to the plates f10-and 11. The pivots of thellinks of the toggles permit the toggles to move toward and `from Veach t other to lstraighten and tobreak or bend tojpro'duce ya lifting action of the trousersand to release the same from such supporting-position when the tensioning means,.hereinafter described, is operated.

The beltvvplate IOof each guard or member 7 is cut away at the ends to taper the plate 10 and the latter is provided fat its ends and at the narrower longitudinal edge with combined stifi'ening and stop flanges 17 and 18 and it has, at the longer side edge a longitudinal slot 19 through which passes the flexible guard or shield member 7 whereby the plate 10 is connected to the said member 7 and the belt. The links, which are pivoted to the plate 10, operate between the flanges 17 and 18, which limits the swing of the links both inwardly and outwardly. This limits the relative upward movement of the plate 11 and the rise of the trousers when the device is placed under tension, and the end fianges 18 prevent the upper plate 11 from droppingtoo far relative to the plate 10. The attaching portion 8 of the guard member 7 extends across the belt and the tapered projecting portion of the guard member or shield 7 extends from the lower edge of the belt, as illustra-ted in Figure 2 of the drawing, and in applying the device it is folded upwardly to the position shown in Figure 1. The slot 19 extends to within a short distance of the ends of the plate 10, and the flanges 17 and 18 provide spaces at the upper corners of the plate 10, when the latter is arranged, as shown in Figure 1, in operative position and the toggle members extend upwardly through the said spaces formed by the flanges 17 and 18. The plate 11, which is curved slightly to conform to the configuration of the body, is provided adjacent the upper or outer side edge with end slots 20, through which passes tabs 21 having the usual openings 22 for receiving the buttons of the trousers for connecting the latter with the trousers supporter. The tabs extend through the slots from the inner face of the plate 11, when the parts are arranged in operative position, as shown in Figure 1, and when they are attached to the buttons of the trousers the belt occupies a position below the waist band and is adapted to be supported upon the hips of the wearer so that the trousers will be supported from the hips and thereby prevented from sagging. This also obviates the necessity of frequent bitching up of the trousers and the shirt of the wearer will remain as arranged and Will not form a bulging roll at the waist line of the wearer.

The belt is buckled around the waist and the liexible guards or shields 7 are swung upwardly from the depending position shown in Figure 2, and attached to the buttons on the waist-band of the trousers. The toggles are then drawn inwardly toward each other to elevate the trousers and hold them in proper position, so that the trousers will maintain their proper form and set and will be prevented from sagging at the waist and bulging at the knees. This operation rasage-o of the toggle members is effected by a flexibleY connection 23 consisting of a cord or lace and having its central portion passing through the eyes 24 formed by the central pivots 14k of the toggle members. The pivots of the toggle members are preferably tubular Vfor forming eyes at the centers and ends of the toggle members. Any other suitable form of' pivot, however, may be employed. The flexible connection 23, after passing through the eyes 24: of the central toggle members, is crossed and is extended lthrough guiding eyes or loops 25 of the belt, and the terminal portions of the flexible connection are engaged with hooks 26 mounted upon the belt adjacent the end lportions thereof. vThe flexible connection is provided at each end with a branch or extension 27, passing through the guide eyes 25 and through the eyes formed by the tubular pivots 14 of the toggle members of the end guards or shields 7. The branches 27 are passed through the said toggle members and are crossed after passing through the same, one portion of each branch extending through the adjacent eye 25 to the liexible connection and the other portion to the adjacent end hook 26. The flexible connection 23 and its branches 27 are provided between the toggle members with coiled springs 28, which are distended when the flexible connection and its branches are placed under tension.

The flexible connection and its branches are looped or loosely arranged within the coiled springs, as illustrated in Figure t of the drawings, to enable the coiled springs to form elastic connections or portions of the flexible connections and to yieldably maintain the toggle members at the limit of their inward movement. This will yieldably support each of the plates 11 in its extended posit-ion and enable the plate to readily yield under pressure so that the trousers supporter will readily conform to the movements of the wearer and permit him to assume any position without straining the trousers supporter or suffering inconvenience from the same. The outer terminals of the branches may be attached to the terminals of the body portion of the flexible connection, as shown, and the said terminals of the body portion are preferably provided with loops for enabling them to be readily grasped to engage the flexible connection of the hooks 26. The connected outer terminals of the branches 27 and the iexible connection 23 form convenient loops, as shown, to enable them to be readily engaged with the hooks 26 of the plates. 'This forms a convenient form of attaching means and will enable the flexible connection to be quickly engaged with and disengaged from the hooks 26. The springs 28 permit the flexible connection and the branches thereof to expand and contract similar to an elastic lace or connection and they automatically draw the flexible connection and the branches taut, after the same have been stretched or distended by movements of the wearer.

It will be seen that the trousers supporter is simple and comparatively inexpensive in construction, that it is adapted 'to dispense with Suspenders and the inconvenience and disagreeable effects thereof and that it is capable of being readily applied to and removed from a pair of trousers. It will also be clear that when in use none of the metallic parts come in contact with the body of the wearer and tha-t the device supports the trousers in an upwardly stretched condition at the waist-band and in a firm and secure manner from the hips of the wearer so that there is none of the sensation of the downward slipping of the trousers or the necessity of frequent hitching up of the same and the consequent upward pulling of the shirt at the waist-line and the formation of an unsightly roll ofthe shirt at the top of the trousers is prevented. Also the device is adapted to yieldably support and lift the trousers with the elastic pull or lift afforded by a pair of suspenders.

What is claimed is:

1. A trousers supporter, including an interiorly arranged belt and supporting devices carried by the belt and extending upwardly therefrom and having trousers attaching means, said devices including toggle members, and operating means for connecting the same.

2. A trousers supporter, including an interiorly arranged belt and supporting devices carried by the belt and extending upwardly therefrom and having trousers. attaching means, said devices including opposite pairs of toggle members, and yieldable means for connecting the `toggle members.

3. A trousers supporter, including an interiorly arranged belt and supporting devices carried by the belt and extending upwardly therefrom and having trousers attaching means, said devices including opposite pairs of toggle members, plates connecting the terminals of the toggle members, one of the plates being provided with spaced projecting flanges forming stops for limiting the movement of the toggle members, and means for moving the toggle members inwardly and outwardly.

e. A trousers supporter, including an interiorly arranged belt and supporting devices carried by the belt and extending upwardly therefrom and having trousers attaching means, belt plates, said devices including flexible shields attached to the belt and carrying the belt plates, provided with slots receiving the flexible shields, a trousers plate provided with slots, tabs extending -through the slots of the trousers plates and connected with the shields, toggle members arranged in pairs and connecting the belt and trousers plates, and means for operating the toggles.

5. A trousers supporter, including an interiorly arranged belt and supporting devices carried by the belt and extending upwardly therefrom and having trousers attaching means, said devices including belt plates connected with the belt, trousers plates, toggle members connectin the trousers plates with the belt plates an arranged in pairs, a fiexible connection provided wlth branches and connecting the members of each pair of toggles, springs located between the toggles and carried by the fiexible connection and its branches, means for guiding the flexible connection and the branches thereof, and means for attaching the flexible connection and its branches to the belt for maintaining the toggles under tension.

6. A trousers supporter, including an interiorly arranged belt and supporting devices carried by the belt and extending upwardly therefrom and having trousers attaching means, said devices lncluding belt plates provided with spaced flanges and connected with the belt, trousers plates having trousers attaching means thereat, togles connecting the plates and operating tween the said flanges, whereby the movement of the toggles is limited, and means for o erating the toggles.

7. trousers supporter, including an interiorly arranged sectional belt, a supporting device on each section comprislng belt plates, a shield therefor, trousers plates carried by the shields and toggle members extensibly connecting the said belt plates and trousers plates to raise and lower the same, and springs between each toggle member for yieldably maintaining the supporting devices in elevated position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto Set m hand.

y OSCAR L. GOLLADAY. 

